Tale of Two Cities

     It has been a while since I last updated my blog but I want to talk about   my experience in two cities of the Netherlands: Rotterdam and Amsterdam.  I was really excited for Rotterdam; it had such an interesting history even though the buildings were very modern.  This was because the Nazis bombed the city during World War II.  I thought that the modern building structures were peculiar but many people apparently like them.

     Some of the structures were beautiful, the older ones at least.  The view of the bridge was also one of my favorite experiences.  I found out that one of my favorite historical characters, Erasmus, only because he was friends with St. Thomas More, was from there.  I'm pretty sure they named everything in the city after him, whether it be streets or buildings.  His statue was in the center of the city.    

     Amsterdam was a completely different world.  It was very liberal--a little bit too much.  I was happy I went there to see the history.  For example, I went to the Anne Frank House, where I was moved because I had read the majority of her diary.  Now, I really want to finish the book.  Also, I went to a museum where Catholics used to have Mass in an attic in secret during the persecution by the Protestants.  Overall, I was not a fan of the drugs, prostitutes, and the red light district.  However, I was glad that I had the opportunity to see all of the great history in this city and the magnificent canals.